Newport

Newport's population grew in the decade to 2011. Data from the census also show there were changes in housing tenure, ethnicity and health.

The population reached nearly 150,000

In the decade to 2011, the population of Newport increased by 6.4%, from just over 137,000 to 146,000.

The addition of about 8,700 people means this area's population increased at a similar rate to the overall population of Wales (up 5.5% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Newport was home to, on average, 5.5 people per football pitch-sized piece of land. This made it Wales' second-most densely-populated district.

Population density was higher than the average across Wales

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across Wales, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Newport

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Newport increased by one year, from 37 to 38 years.

This multi-cultural area had a slightly higher average age than Bolton (one of the most statistically similar areas to Newport based on ONS area classifications) (38 years of age) and the second-lowest average age in Wales.

The fall in age was because of an increase of just over 4,500 people between the ages of 20 and 29 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by almost 3,000.

About 13% of people in Newport are aged between 20 and 29 years

Percentage of usual residents in Wales, Monmouthshire and Newport by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Welsh language in Newport

The proportion of Welsh speakers in Newport fell from 9.6% to 9.3% in the 10 years leading up to Census 2011.

There are 394 more people living here who spoke Welsh compared with 2001, while the number of people who did not spoke Welsh increased by 7,635.

In Monmouthshire (the local authority area that shares the largest boundary with Newport), 9.9% of people over the age of three could speak some Welsh, up from 9.0% at the 2001 census. Across Wales, the proportion fell from 21% to 19%.

The proportion of people who could speak Welsh was lower than across Wales

Percentage of people aged three and over that said they could speak Welsh across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

Rise in private renting

Newport saw Wales' second-largest rise in the proportion of privately rented homes.

In 2011, just under one in seven (14%) households in Newport rented privately, compared with 5.4% in 2001. The percentage of socially rented homes decreased from 22% to 20%.

Wales' largest increase in the proportion of privately rented homes occurred in Cardiff (from 11% to 22%).

Private renting in Newport increased by 8.6 percentage points

Percentage of households in Newport, Monmouthshire and Wales that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in Newport

The number of people in Newport from the White ethnic groups remained close to about 130,000 between the last two censuses. However, as a percentage of the total population, this represented a decrease from 95% to 90%.

The percentage decreased by more than the average across Wales (from 98% to 96%).

The number of people in Newport from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from just under 3,900 in 2001 to about 8,000 in 2011 (from 2.8% to 5.5%). The number of residents from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed) increased from just over 1,600 to about 2,800 (from 1.2% to 1.9%).

Just over 2,500 people (0.5%) said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups, up from just over 730 in 2001 (1.7%).

The population from the White ethnic groups in Newport decreased by 5.3 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Wales, Monmouthshire and Newport by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Newport

The number of people in Newport that described themselves as Muslim increased from about 3,500 in 2001 to just under 6,900 in 2011. This represents a change from 2.6% to 4.7% of the local population.

The percentage increased by more than the average across Wales (from 0.8% to 1.5%).

The number of people in Newport that described themselves as Christian decreased from just over 98,000 in 2001 to about 83,000 in 2011 (from 72% to 57%). The number of people who described themselves as having no religion increased from just under 23,000 to about 43,000 (from 17% to 30%).

About 11,000 people (8.1%) did not state their religion, similar to the amount in 2001 (which at the time represented 7.5% of the local population)

The population who identified as Muslim in Newport increased by 2.2 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Wales, Monmouthshire and Newport by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

More people cohabiting

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple increased in Newport, but at a slower rate than all other local authority areas in Wales, except Ceredigion.

Across Wales, the proportion of households with an unmarried couple increased from 7.5% to 9.7% between the last two censuses, while the proportion in nearby Monmouthshire increased from 6.8% to 8.9%.

In 2011, just over 1 in 11 (9.4%) households in Newport had an unmarried couple, compared with 7.7% in 2001. The percentage of households comprising just one person increased from 28% to 31%.

Wales' largest decrease in the proportion of households with an unmarried couple occurred in Ceredigion (from 7.9% to 9.1%).

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple was lower than across Wales

Percentage of households that had an unmarried couple across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

Changing relationships in Newport

The proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner increased in Newport, but at a slower rate than all other local authority areas in Wales, except Cardiff and Merthyr Tydfil.

During this period, Newport overtook to become the Wales local authority area with the ninth-highest percentage of people who had divorced or separated.

In 2011, just under one in eight (12%) people aged 16 and over in Newport said they had divorced or broken up with a married or civil partner, compared with 11% in 2001. The percentage that said they were married decreased from 52% to 46%.

Wales' largest decrease in the proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a married or civil partner occurred in Cardiff (from 10% to 10%) followed by Merthyr Tydfil (from 11% to 12%).

The proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner was higher than across Wales

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they had divorced or broken up with a married or civil partner across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Newport residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 12% to 7.4% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just under 8 in 10 (79%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 65% in 2001. The percentage of Newport residents that described their health as fair decreased from 23% to 14%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell faster here than in nearby Monmouthshire (which remained close 5.9%). Across Wales, the proportion fell from 12% to 7.6%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Newport decreased by 4.6 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Newport, Monmouthshire and Wales said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in rate of unemployment

The percentage of Newport residents that were unemployed increased from 3.9% to 5.3% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just over one in two (52%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were employed, compared with 51% in 2001. The percentage of Newport residents that were self-employed increased from 5.5% to 6.6%.

The proportion of unemployed people increased at a similar rate to nearby Monmouthshire (which remained close 3.4%). Across Wales, the proportion increased from 3.5% to 4.3%.

The rate of unemployment in Newport increased by 1.4 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Newport, Monmouthshire and Wales that said they were unemployed, March 2001 and March 2011

More people worked short hours

The percentage of employed people in Newport working less than 16 hours increased from 1.6% to 2.9% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just over 1 in 12 (8.3%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, compared with 11% in 2001.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week increased at a similar rate to nearby Monmouthshire (which remained close 3.0%). Across Wales, the proportion increased from 1.7% to 3.0%.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week in Newport increased by 1.3 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Newport, Monmouthshire and Wales that said they had worked less than 16 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Changes in family structure

The percentage of households in Newport with only adult children living with their parents increased from 9.3% to 10% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just over 3 in 10 (31%) households had at least one dependent child, compared with 33% in 2001. The percentage of households in Newport without children increased from 58% to 59%.

The proportion of households with adult children living with their parents increased at a similar rate to nearby Monmouthshire (which remained close 10%). Across Wales, the proportion increased from 10% to 11%.

The proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents was lower than across Wales

Percentage of households where a parent lived with their adult children across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

Disability in Newport

The percentage of Newport residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 4.3% to 4.8% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

The percentage who reported being limited a little in their day-to-day activities remained close to 6.9%, while the percentage of Newport residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability remained close to 89%.

The proportion of people who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased at a similar rate to nearby Monmouthshire (which remained close 4.4%). Across Wales, the proportion increased from 4.6% to 5.2%.

The proportion of people who are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across Wales

Percentage of usual residents that reported being considerably limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

↑ Back to the top

Area report data

Related links